Color printer and multi-ribbon cartridge therefor

Abstract

A color printer includes a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable print heads serially arranged along a printing direction. Each print head includes a plurality of impact pins and an associated different color printing ribbon having a portion disposed between the associated print head and a media to be printed upon. The serial alignment of the print heads enables four color images to be produced by a single pass of the print head assembly along the media in a printing direction. Control apparatus includes pulse modulation circuitry for controlling the impact force of each impact pin to cause intensity modulation of printed colored marks. In addition, a feedback system enables the control apparatus to vary the impact force of each impact pin to maintain good color fidelity. An ink ribbon cartridge includes a plurality of compartments with each compartment having a ribbon supply area and an associated pathway for passage of a ribbon loop exterior to the compartments, said ribbon loops being disposed in a line along a front face of the cartridge frame. Drive apparatus circulates each ribbon from the supply over to the pathways and back into the supply area during which time each ribbon is rotated 180° about a longitudinal axis thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each print head having a different colored printing ribbon associated therewith, each ribbon having a portion disposed between the associated print head and the media;   (b) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads is capable of impacting coextensive areas of the media;   (c) means for moving each ribbon past the associated print heads;   (d) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawing to be printed;   (e) indexing means for enabling each print head to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (f) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print heads at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination marked on the media.   
     
     
       2. The impact printer of claim 1 wherein said plurality of print heads consists of four print heads, and wherein each of the associated colored printing ribbons is inked with subtractive-type color dyes. 
     
     
       3. The impact of claim 2 wherein the four different colored printing ribbons are inked with black, cyan, magenta and yellow color dyes, and said dyes are suspended in solvents which are immiscible in one another. 
     
     
       4. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each print head having a separate printing ribbon associated therewith, each ribbon being of a selected different color and having a loop portion disposed between the associated print head and the media; each print head including actuable pin means for striking the associated ribbon against the media to produce a colored mark thereon;     (b) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads can impact at the same print positions;   (c) means for moving the loop past the associated print heads;   (d) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawing to be printed;   (e) indexing means for enabling each print head pin means to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (f) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media.   
     
     
       5. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each print head having a separate printing ribbon associated therewith, each ribbon being of a selected different color and having a loop portion disposed between the print head and the media, each said print head including actuable pin means for striking the associated ribbon against the media to produce a colored mark thereon;     (b) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads can impact at the same print positions;   (c) means for moving the ribbon loop portions past the associated print heads;   (d) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawing to be printed;   (e) indexing means for enabling each print head pin means to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (f) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media, said print head being actuated in an order corresponding to a preselected color hue sequence.   
     
     
       6. The impact printer of claim 5, wherein the print heads are arranged along the printing direction in an order corresponding to a preselected color hue sequence of light to dark. 
     
     
       7. The impact printer of claims 4 or 5, wherein the control means is further operative for controlling the impact force of each print head pin means to vary the intensity of the colored marks. 
     
     
       8. An impact printer for producing color characters on drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each print head having a separate printing ribbon associated therewith, each ribbon being of a selected different color and having a loop portion disposed between the associated print head and the media, each said print head including actuable pin means for striking the associated ribbon against the media to produce a colored mark thereon;     (b) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads is capable of impacting the media at preselected positions;   (c) means for moving the ribbon loop portions past the associated print heads;   (d) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (e) indexing means for enabling each print head pin means to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (f) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media, said control means including means for controlling the impact force of each print head pin means to cause intensity modulation of the colored marks.   
     
     
       9. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each print head having a separate printing ribbon associated therewith, each ribbon being of a selected different color and having a loop portion disposed between the associated print head and the media, each said print head including actuable pin means for striking the associated ribbon against the media to produce a colored mark thereon;     (b) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction in a manner that permits each of said impact print heads to mark the media at the same preselected positions;   (c) means for moving the ribbon loop portions past the associated print heads;   (d) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (e) indexing means for enabling each print head pin means to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions;   (f) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media, said control means including means for controlling the impact force of each print head pin means to cause intensity modulation of the colored marks, and means responsive to a signal for varying the impact force of each print head in order to maintain color intensity; and   (g) means for monitoring the intensity of preselected color marks and generating a signal corresponding thereto.   
     
     
       10. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction;   (b) means, disposed on the print head assembly, for supporting a removable cartridge having a plurality of separate different colored inked ribbons, in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, each separate ribbon being disposed between an associated impact print head and the media when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly;   (c) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads is capable of impacting over coextensive areas of the media;   (d) capstan means, for engaging the cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, for moving the ribbons past the associated impact print heads;   (e) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (f) indexing means for enabling each impact print head to sequentially mark the media at pre-selected positions; and,   (g) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the impact print heads at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media.   
     
     
       11. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each of said print heads including actuable pin means;     (b) means, disposed on the print head assembly, for supporting a removable cartridge, having a plurality of separate different colored inked ribbons, in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, each separate ribbon being disposed between an associated impact print head and the media when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly;   (c) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction with each of said impact print heads being capable of marking the media over coextensive areas of the media;   (d) capstan means, for engaging the cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, for moving the ribbons past the associated print heads;   (e) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (f) indexing means for enabling each of said print heads to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (g) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media, said control means including pulse modulation means for controlling the impact force of each of said print head pin means to cause intensity modulation of the colored marks.   
     
     
       12. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly including a plurality of independently actuable impact print heads serially arranged along a printing direction, each of said print heads including actuable pin means;     (b) means, disposed on the print head assembly, for supporting a removable cartridge, having a plurality of separate different colored inked ribbons, in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, each separate ribbon being disposed between an associated impact print head and the media when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly;   (c) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media along the printing direction such that each of said impact print heads can strike the same positions on said media;   (d) capstan means, for engaging the cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative relationship with the print head assembly, for moving the ribbons past the associated print heads;   (e) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (f) indexing means for enabling each of said print heads to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions;   (g) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print head pin means at each preselected position along the printing direction depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media, said control means including pulse modulation means for controlling the impact force of each print head pin means to cause intensity modulation of the colored marks, and means responsive to a color signal for varying the impact force of each print head in order to maintain color intensity; and,   (h) feedback means for monitoring the intensity of preselected color marks and generating a color signal corresponding thereto.   
     
     
       13. An impact printer for producing color characters and drawings on a media, comprising: (a) a print head assembly having a plurality of independently actuable, serially arranged impact print heads;   (b) a removable cartridge including a plurality of different colored ribbons, said ribbons being in a serial arrangement and each having a loop portion disposed between an associated print head and the media to be printed on when the cartridge is disposed in an operative relationship with the print head assembly;   (c) means for causing relative movement between the print head assembly and the media such that each of said impact print heads is capable of impacting the same print positions;   (d) means for moving the ribbon loop portions past the associated print heads;   (e) a signal source for providing electronic signals which represent, on a point-by-point basis, the color content of the characters and/or drawings to be printed;   (f) indexing means for enabling each print head to sequentially mark the media at preselected positions; and,   (g) control means responsive to said signal source for selectively causing said indexing means to actuate the print heads at each preselected position depending upon the color content of said electronic signals, thereby causing a preselected colored combination mark on the media.   
     
     
       14. The impact printer of claim 13, wherein the means for moving the ribbon loop portions past the associated print heads includes a drive capstan disposed on said print head assembly and drive means for driving each ribbon disposed within the cartridge, said drive means being configured for engagement with the capstan when the cartridge is disposed in an operative relationship with the print head assembly.